


of asshole landlords and house fires

by thatsmygvn (cougarlips)



Series: TWD Requests [26]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, M/M, Meet-Cute, POV Third Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 17:16:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10443021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cougarlips/pseuds/thatsmygvn
Summary: Paul wanted to know more about his mysterious neighbor who never seemed to see the light of day, but not at this cost – it was three in the morning, the moon hanging high in the deep sky, and not a star could be seen for the flashing red lights that surrounded their entire complex.Prompt: “Yeah, yeah. Your infinite wisdom enlightens all of us.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> this is actually taken from an au i wrote last year that i ended up scrapping :"))

Paul wanted to know more about his mysterious neighbor who never seemed to see the light of day, but not at this cost – it was three in the morning, the moon hanging high in the deep sky, and not a star could be seen for the flashing red lights that surrounded their entire complex.

Someone left their stove on and fell asleep and, naturally, their kitchen caught on fire, forcing the entire building to be evacuated. Paul ran out in a loose button-up and khakis, feet shoved haphazardly into his boots, hair thrown into a messy bun on the top of his head, and now stood in a group of his neighbors he only barely knew in ninety-degree-and-rising heat.

He looked around and first saw Eugene Porter, a high school chemistry teacher who looked like he had been in shock for the better part of the evening. It was his apartment that caught on fire, but he couldn’t figure out what started it. Next to him stood a woman with a sour expression, wearing a too-short bathrobe barely covering her thighs and too-large slippers with dog heads over the toes that, if Paul had to guess, belonged to Eugene.

Further away he saw the woman, Maggie, from across the hall sitting next to her husband, Glenn. Or, she sat _near_ her husband; sandwiched between the two of them sat a young girl and a baby in her lap, the both of them snoring lightly.

But who caught his eye was his neighbor, who he only recognised by the vest he seemingly never took off and grease-stained jeans.

Paul was only a few moments away from making his way towards his neighbor before his landlord barreled straight into him, his hair askew and eyes furious.

“I can’t believe what that woman just said to me!” he exclaimed, pointing a stubby finger in Eugene’s direction. Paul looked over to see Eugene’s partner sticking her middle finger up at Gregory, and he coughed to mask his snort.

Gregory took a deep breath, forcing an ugly smile over his tomato-red face. “Well, Paul, it’s certainly been quite the evening, hasn’t it?” he asked.

“I wouldn’t –”

“Yes, yes,” Gregory continued, cutting off Paul’s words completely. “I believe, first thing in the morning, I should investigate that Porter fellow and that woman. Menaces like that shouldn’t be here. There are _children_ living here,” he gasped.

Paul raised an eyebrow and glanced one more time at the couple, at Eugene, wearing a Disney world T-shirt and novelty science-themed sweatpants, and his partner, lounging against his side still in her puppy-eared slippers. “Oh, yeah,” Paul agreed sarcastically. “Total menaces.”

Gregory nodded. “I’ll get them out in no time, don’t you worry,” he said absently.

“It’d be wise to do that,” he continued, eyes rolling towards the back of his head. “Let that infinite wisdom enlighten us all.”

Behind him, he heard a hoarse snort, and he turned around to see his neighbor, Daryl, holding his hand over his mouth as he tried to mask the laugh. Paul left Gregory’s side – not that the man noticed, for he already honed his attention in on poor Maggie and Glenn – and made his way towards the other man.

“Been wantin’ to tell that asshole off since the day I moved in,” Daryl admitted.

Paul inhaled sharply, exhaling on a chuckle. “It’s been a long time coming, trust me,” he said. Then, he turned a full smile on Daryl. “I’m Paul,” he said.

Daryl looked away, back towards the rest of the crowd. “Yeah, I know,” he said, a smirk lifting the corner of his lips.

 

**Author's Note:**

> my desus/twd sideblog is [@thatsmygvn](http://thatsmygvn.tumblr.com) and i am 100% always ready to cry over how much i love jesus


End file.
